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This is how a financial advisor can help you

17/04/2019

This is how a financial advisor can help you

Money is a complicated topic. Those who have it struggle to keep it. Those who don’t, strive to get it. It has been this way for years, and the story isn’t likely to change any time soon. As such, everybody needs help with their finances at some point in their lives. That’s where a financial advisor or investment advisor comes in.

A financial advisor, also known as a financial planner, is an expert who helps you to organise your finances. Your advisor will forecast the outcomes of your investments and savings, giving you a clear picture of your preparedness for your retirement and life’s unexpected mishaps.

Doing your own financial planning is fine, but seeking professional assistance puts your monetary strategy on a different level. A financial advisor is somebody who has ideally received years of training, education, and experience in everything finance-related. They could make a significant difference in the quality of the financial choices you make.

A financial advisor should collect personal and financial information about you and use this data to help you plan for your present and future needs. Your financial planner should take the time to understand your goals and would have formulated a long-term monetary plan for you before they make any recommendations.

Anyone who starts to talk about a financial product before asking about your own situation or financial goals is more likely a salesperson or an investment advisor. A financial planner is also an investment advisor, but not vice versa.

To understand the different ways a financial advisor can help you, you must become aware of what they do and what topics they’re likely to advise you on.

What does a financial advisor do?

Evaluates the state of your finances and develops a risk-aware strategy to help you meet your goals.

Provides an objective and independent voice that is genuinely interested in your financial well-being. A financial planner isn’t a salesperson or a product pusher.

Financial uncertainty triggers a lot of fears and questions. A financial advisor should be able to provide long-term practical answers.

Gets you started on your strategy by educating you about risk and return, asset allocation, the merit of discipline, and diversification.

When undergoing personal changes. Financial needs change as your life circumstances change and it’s a good idea to meet with a financial advisor when getting married or having a child.

When undergoing wealth changes. You get that promotion you’ve been working towards or you inherit a large sum of money. A financial advisor will help you play smart with the extra cash.

When you’re uncertain of yourself and your future. It’s important to be honest with yourself about your financial situation. There is so much to consider, it’s hard to keep track of the bigger picture. Will your loved ones be taken care of when you are no longer here? A financial planner will help you to focus on what matters most.

Benefits of a financial advisor

Full-time expertise

Despite your best efforts to stay informed, you can’t possibly know everything about financial planning. For a financial planner, that is their job.

Objectivity

Having someone make your financial decisions, based on pure logic and emotion-free analysis, is better for your investments than being panicked into big decisions.

Research

Research, research, and more research. To prove useful, a financial advisor has to maximize their knowledge of the law, markets, taxation, banks, and other entities in the financial space. They won’t provide the answers to your queries unless they are sure they’re the right ones.

The takeaway from all this is: a financial advisor is here to make your life better. They are not here to get you to buy anything and they are not only for the wealthy. A financial advisor is dedicated to working with you, whether you have notable sums to invest or not.

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